Bai Tu was in a rather awkward situation.

Not only had he been dreaming nonstop for several nights, but he had also taken to stealing his little disciple’s clothes to hug while he slept.

Even if he were slow-witted, he would have realized by now that something was off.

Bai Tu wasn’t some ascetic immortal who had lived his whole life in purity. As a grown man, he was well aware of certain things. This constant heat surging through his body, the unbearable restlessness, the inexplicable craving for physical closeness—it all pointed to one thing… he was in heat.

Rabbits were highly reproductive creatures with frequent estrus cycles. Bai Tu knew this as common knowledge.

As the illustrious Immortal Lord Zhaohua, he had developed spiritual awareness from birth and spent years cultivating in a life of abstinence. Even if he occasionally experienced some physiological anomalies, his profound cultivation had always been enough to suppress them.

For him to be in this state now, there were only two possible explanations: pregnancy and a decline in spiritual power.

Bai Tu was already physically frail, and pregnancy only made him more vulnerable, triggering a deep-seated need for security. Instinctively, he sought reliance on his… husband. Bai Tu figured that due to the presence of the child, his body had subconsciously recognized Yun Ye as his mate. And now, with the onset of the rabbit’s natural breeding cycle, everything had spiraled into this mess.

Having pinpointed the cause, Bai Tu irritably rubbed his belly. “You little troublemaker, this is all your fault.”

This time, the heat wasn’t too overwhelming. Apart from feeling a bit feverish, he was still managing to keep himself together. But if this continued… given how frequently rabbits went into heat, he was genuinely afraid that one day, he might lose control and storm into his little disciple’s room to…

Poor little disciple. If Bai Tu truly wanted to do something to him, given the difference in their cultivation levels, the disciple wouldn’t stand a chance to resist.

Bai Tu shuddered, unwilling to let his thoughts wander any further.

He hastily stuffed the outer robe—now wrinkled from being hugged all night—under the bed, making sure it was well hidden before getting up and stepping outside.

Yun Ye’s door was ajar, and through the gap, Bai Tu could make out his tall silhouette inside. Just sensing his presence made Bai Tu unbearably restless, and he unconsciously quickened his pace.

“Master?”

Yun Ye’s voice called out from behind. Bai Tu’s steps faltered for a brief moment before he turned around.

The young man leaned lazily against the doorframe, dressed in a simple white inner robe. His sash was loosely tied, revealing a broad stretch of fair, well-toned chest. He shot Bai Tu a relaxed smile. “Good morning, Master.”

That smile momentarily stunned Bai Tu, his breath hitching. He quickly averted his gaze. “Morning.”

Noticing his fatigued expression, Yun Ye stepped closer, his tone laced with concern. “Did Master not sleep well last night?”

Bai Tu responded coolly, “I’m fine.”

Yun Ye tilted his head slightly, leaning in as if to press further. But before he could say another word, his keen senses caught a faint, sweet scent lingering in the air.

Bai Tu had always carried a crisp, cool scent, but now it was entirely different. The fragrance had softened, tinged with a faint sweetness—so tempting that one couldn’t help but want to take a bite.

Yun Ye leaned in slightly, taking a deliberate sniff. “Master, did you change your incense? It smells really nice.”

A chill ran down Bai Tu’s spine, and he instinctively took several steps back.

As the distance between them grew, the scent faded. A strange restlessness crept into Yun Ye’s heart, but he straightened up, feigning nonchalance. “Does Master have anything planned for today?”

Bai Tu had originally intended to sneak off to the cold spring for a bath to clear his head, but there was no way he could admit that. Taking a bath first thing in the morning—it sounded suspicious no matter how he put it.

He waved it off casually. “No, I’m just… taking a walk.”

Yun Ye shot him a skeptical glance, but before he could say anything, Bai Tu preemptively scolded him. “Hurry up and get dressed. Walking around half-clothed—what kind of image are you giving?”

“Yes, Master,” Yun Ye responded in a low, obedient tone. But then, as if remembering something, he asked, “By the way, have you seen one of my outer robes? The one I used to wear often. I washed it a few days ago, but now it’s gone.”

“…No.” Bai Tu’s expression remained neutral as he lectured, “You’re a grown man. How can you not even keep track of your own clothes?”

Yun Ye scratched his head in confusion. “I swear I left it on my bed, but I wasn’t paying attention last night. Now it’s just gone.”

A thought seemed to cross his mind, and suddenly, he broke into a mischievous grin. “Master, do you think maybe some little junior sister secretly has a crush on me and stole it?”

Bai Tu’s ears quietly flushed red. “……”

He stiffly retorted, “Nonsense. Why would anyone take your clothes?”

“You wouldn’t understand, Master. There are plenty of people in the sect who secretly admire me. Someone even took the wooden sword I used for practice once—I had to search everywhere for it.”

He paused, then sighed in mock distress. “Honestly, why go through all that trouble? If they really want something of mine, they could just ask. If it were a pretty junior sister, who knows? I might just give it to her.”

Bai Tu felt an inexplicable discomfort rise in his chest, his brows furrowing instinctively. “So as long as someone wants it, you’ll just give it away? What kind of—”

“Don’t be mad, Master,” Yun Ye quickly interrupted, laughing. “I was only joking.”

Bai Tu pressed his lips together, offering no response.

Perhaps it was the scent he had picked up earlier, but Yun Ye was feeling particularly playful today, itching to tease his Master. He leaned in, voice low and deliberately provocative. “Of course, it depends on who’s asking. If it’s you, Master… I’d give you anything.”

A deafening buzz filled Bai Tu’s mind. His legs nearly gave out beneath him.

In a panic, he stammered out a few reprimands, barely registering Yun Ye’s reaction before fleeing the courtyard as if his life depended on it.

Bai Tu arrived at the cold spring in the back mountain, setting up a barrier around it with a flick of his hand before finally relaxing and sinking into the icy water. The lingering heat that had plagued him for days was instantly soothed, and he couldn’t suppress a quiet sigh of relief as he let his eyes drift shut.

From beneath his loose hair, a pair of soft rabbit ears emerged, drooping obediently on either side of his head.

Even his ears trembled from the sheer comfort.

Mindful that the cold might be harmful to the baby, Bai Tu didn’t soak for too long. Soon, he stepped out of the spring, sensing that Yun Ye was no longer on Luoxia Peak—likely off training somewhere.

With the little wolf absent and his internal restlessness momentarily subdued, Bai Tu felt lighter than he had in days. His mood was so good, in fact, that on his way back to his room, he stopped by his private stash and picked out two carrots from his little vegetable basket.

Clamping one between his teeth, he returned to his quarters and pulled out an ancient text on the Abyss of Demons, borrowed from the sect’s library.

Although his last conversation with Ling Weijun had ended on a sour note, Bai Tu had never truly intended to wash his hands of the matter. The cultivators of the world could do as they pleased, throwing caution to the wind—but he couldn’t afford that kind of recklessness.

Who knew if failure this time would mean being thrown back into the past once again?

Besides, after so many years in this world, he could no longer see it as just a fictional story.

Every person here had flesh, blood, and a life of their own. He couldn’t simply stand by and watch history repeat itself—war erupting once more, leaving devastation in its wake.

Right now, the most urgent task was to locate the entrance to the Abyss of Demons and seal it off once and for all.

The ancient text detailed several locations where entrances to the Abyss of Demons had appeared throughout history. Bai Tu carefully committed each one to memory.

Finishing off his two carrots in quick bites, he closed his eyes, steadied his breath, and released his spiritual consciousness.

Years ago, he had sealed off all passages between the two realms with his own Daoist magic. There was no reason for the seal to weaken after only a few decades—unless the Abyss had found a way to force one open.

Fortunately, the locations of these passages were largely fixed. As long as he searched carefully with his spiritual energy, he should be able to pinpoint where the seal had been compromised.

Yet after scanning several key locations, he found nothing.

His current cultivation was too fragile to withstand excessive depletion, so he had no choice but to withdraw his consciousness for the time being.

As Bai Tu opened his eyes, he was startled to find Yun Ye standing right beside him, watching him intently.

He nearly leapt out of his seat in shock, glaring in frustration. “What are you doing here?”

Yun Ye curved his lips into a faint smile and poured Bai Tu a cup of tea. “I’m standing guard for Master.”

Bai Tu knew he was just overly tense, so he gave a small nod and accepted the teacup. As he did, his fingers accidentally brushed against Yun Ye’s hand, but—unlike before—there was no sudden surge of restless heat in his body.

He took a sip of tea and finally felt at ease.

The cold spring had indeed worked.

Yun Ye asked, “Did Master find the entrance to the Abyss?”

“No,” Bai Tu replied. “The ancient text records over ten possible locations, not to mention those that remain undocumented. It won’t be easy to pinpoint the right one.”

Yun Ye nodded, then glanced curiously at the map Bai Tu had marked.

After a brief moment of thought, he spoke. “Master, why don’t we narrow down the search?”

“How do you propose we do that?”

“Look here,” Yun Ye stepped behind Bai Tu, picking up the cinnabar brush from the desk and lightly circling a location on the parchment. “For example, this place. It’s currently where the Xuanyue Sword Sect’s territory meets the Infinite Sea. If the Abyss truly seeks to make a return, they wouldn’t choose a spot right under the watchful eyes of the immortal sects.”

Yun Ye leaned in close—so close that with the slightest tilt forward, he seemed to enclose Bai Tu within his embrace.

His voice resonated softly above Bai Tu’s head, the vibrations from his chest subtly transmitting through the space between them. The familiar scent wrapped around Bai Tu once more, making him momentarily dazed. The restlessness he had barely suppressed threatened to stir again.

Oblivious, Yun Ye continued marking several locations on the parchment. “If I were trying to break the seal, these would be my choices.”

“I understand.” Bai Tu gave a curt nod and instinctively shrank back a little. “I’ll handle the rest. Why are you wasting time here instead of focusing on your training?”

Yun Ye finally straightened and released him, a teasing smile on his lips. “Master, that’s exactly why I came. My cultivation has stabilized, and I should be able to break through soon.”

“Oh?” Bai Tu’s eyes lit up. “That fast?”

Without hesitation, he extended his spiritual sense into Yun Ye’s meridians and indeed detected a surge of abundant spiritual energy.

A wave of joy surged through him. This little wolf cub had been training under him for over a decade—his progress was finally showing.

The difficulty of advancing in cultivation varied from person to person. Some soared through breakthroughs effortlessly, while others toiled for years without success.

For Yun Ye, however, only the first breakthrough had been truly arduous. Once he overcame that hurdle, the path ahead would only become smoother.

Bai Tu declared, “Then what are we waiting for? We’ll begin tonight—I’ll stand guard for you.”

Bai Tu carefully arranged the protective array in the meditation chamber, ensuring everything was in place before gesturing for Yun Ye to sit cross-legged at its center.

Yun Ye propped his chin on his hand, watching his busy master with a faint smile.

For someone who had already reached the Grand Ascension stage in his past life, breaking through such a minor realm was hardly a challenge. It certainly didn’t warrant this much effort.

But seeing his usually composed master fussing over him with such seriousness—it was unexpectedly amusing.

However…

Yun Ye’s nose twitched slightly, his brows furrowing.

That scent from this morning… He could smell it again.

It was a soft, sugary fragrance, deceptively light and fresh. Yet for some reason, it unsettled him, stirring an inexplicable restlessness in his chest. It was like having prey dangled just beyond his reach—so close yet maddeningly elusive—awakening an instinctive desire to seize and claim it completely.

At that moment, Bai Tu finished setting up the formation. He took a seat across from Yun Ye and reminded him sternly, “No matter what happens, you must remain focused. If your mind wavers, your meridians could go into chaos, and you risk falling into demonic deviation.”

Yun Ye hesitated for a brief moment before replying in a low voice, “…Understood.”

Bai Tu, oblivious to his own condition, lifted a hand to seal the meditation chamber. “Let’s begin.”

Yun Ye obediently closed his eyes and began to channel his inner energy throughout his body.

The meditation room was small, and Bai Tu, worried about potential disturbances, had sealed off the only entrance. As Yun Ye concentrated on circulating his energy, his aura expanded uncontrollably within the confined space, quickly enveloping Bai Tu.

Yun Ye’s overwhelming presence surged toward Bai Tu, and in an instant, Bai Tu found it hard to breathe.

A more intense and unbearable restlessness than before swept through his entire body, every inch of him craving the touch of another.

Bai Tu curled up, letting out a soft whimper.

=^_^=

Author has something to say: Do you know there’s something called induced estrus? [Auntie’s sly smile]